Help - Help - Help - Am I mad?

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Bigproblemo

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I just typed a massive post and it bloody lost it! Anonymous as this is secret squirrel.

Possibility of moving yard - help me decide if I am being mental or not.

Old yard - costs all in for 5 day livery (including travel to the yard) = 397
This is 3 bales of hay per week so no where near adlib, one bale of bedding, yard run down - very basic. Fairly crap outdoor school - builders sand about 2 foot deep. Lovely people, takes 25 mins to get to the yard though, turnout TIME good in winter but grass very minimal!

Possible yard - 5* in EVERY WAY = 570 per month including travel (10 mins journey) Amazing indoor and outdoor schools, owners on site - honestly everything you could ever need and want. Ad lib hay, huge boxes.
Turnout in winter is limited sometimes - horses spent 7 weeks in last winter - they were very honest about this. 24 hour turnout pens being built for next year.

I have my boy JUST for pleasure - we are just starting to think about getting ready for very very low key dressage. At current yard I can only ride at weekends in winter. I don't need these facilities but I think I would enjoy them? I think I could afford it if I tried. Am I kidding myself that this will be worth it - transform my horsing life? Reduce my stress levels?

HELP?
 
You sound like me and my sister! We have a cob we have just for pleasure. We did this many times, thinking if we go to this amazing yard we will go so much more because of the facilities.
However personally I think it doesn't matter where you are or what you have, you won't change what you do.
Granted, if I had tons of money I'd get an amazing yard and have a few race horses, but it doesn't seem to make any difference what yard your are at as long as the horse is happy that's all that matters!
 
It is possible for me to afford it but I will have to make a couple of sacrifices (less wasting of money on stupid takeaways and unecessary tack shop items - the usual crap)
 
I think the indoor school will make the biggest difference won't it?

Could you box to and hire one mid week in winter, if you wanted the hassle, for less.

If you ride evenings during the summer then you are likely to ride in the indoor school?

If you can afford it why not?
 
I swore I wouldn't go anywhere that allowed horses to be in for even a few weeks at a time but they were clear that this was not desired and that around those 7 weeks the horses were turned out as much as possible..... am I just trying to talk myself into a bad thing. I can't believe I am allowing myself to suggest that 7 weeks in is 'ok'. My boy did three weeks in at his last place and I couldn't even work him until the weekends. At least I could still exercise him in the indoor? Am I just making excuses now?
 
I am spoilt. I have my boys at home and they never were stable bound even for one day. People will shout me down for putting them out in the snow. But even an hour keeps them sweet. And they never stay out in the sun and flies but come in and snooze the day way in their stable.
 
In that case - is coming out and being worked/walked ALMOST the same as an hour or two out?

Do people consider an hour or two ut acceptable but fully in completely unacceptable? I know it isn't desirable....

This yard did put the ponios out in the snow but it was all the wet they were in for....
 
I personally would rather have all year turnout for my horse, than a school/arena. I would be happy with an all weather turnout paddock with hay feeder, for the winter if there wasn't enough land for winter grazing. I just couldn't leave my horse in (bar riding/lunging/quick run in the school) for seven weeks.
 
Faracat said:
I personally would rather have all year turnout for my horse, than a school/arena. I would be happy with an all weather turnout paddock with hay feeder, for the winter if there wasn't enough land for winter grazing. I just couldn't leave my horse in (bar riding/lunging/quick run in the school) for seven weeks.
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Even for one Winter Fara while waiting for the all weather to be built? They showed me the plans and quotes they had and I really don't think it will be one of those things that never happens as they have 7 top horses of their own that they don't want stuck in either.

I want to want to go there without any niggles or worries but I don't think that is going to happen :( Back to the drawing board?
 
7 weeks inside is unacceptable for me I'm afraid. They SAY they're going to build outdoor all weather pens......

That's also quite a hike in price.

Could you think about finding good DIY yard and paying someone to do 'full' livery for you 5 days a week? That would open up your options.

What are your essentials? An indoor or just a decent outdoor? And presumably plenty of turnout? And within a sensible distance. Surely that can't be too hard to find?
 
Kallibear said:
7 weeks inside is unacceptable for me I'm afraid. They SAY they're going to build outdoor all weather pens......

That's also quite a hike in price.

Could you think about finding good DIY yard and paying someone to do 'full' livery for you 5 days a week? That would open up your options.

What are your essentials? An indoor or just a decent outdoor? And presumably plenty of turnout? And within a sensible distance. Surely that can't be too hard to find?
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I think you are right. If someone had asked me what my non negotiables were tonight I would have said - turnout! I want 5 day livery, an indoor school (because I would love to be able to ride in the winter) and turnout - all within an 8 mile radius. I think it is the distance that is going to screw me over :(

Or an outdoor with lights!
 
8 miles is pretty limited! Is it 'full' livery for 5 days? So you don't actually need to go to the yard? If so then distance becomes a little less important if you don't need to go twice a day or even every day.

An idoor would be lovely (I would LOVE one) but a sheltered good quality outdoor would be almost as good!

For me turnout would be THE essential : 24/7 during the summer and at least 8hrs MIMIMUM (more of possible) over the winter. The rest would be nice but not essential.
 
I know 8 miles isn't that far but I have learnt that a longer journey makes a miserable me as I find it takes up too much time and then I do less with my boy. Even though I do want five day livery I would still go up at least 3 times in the week if not four to ride him/kiss his big pink schnoz!

I have always said 6 hours minimum for him in Winter - just can't see why I am giving up on that idea all of a sudden. Taken in by the indoor arena, mirrors, amazing barn, lovely grass, peaceful slice of heaven....
 
Bigproblemo said:
Even for one Winter Fara while waiting for the all weather to be built? They showed me the plans and quotes they had and I really don't think it will be one of those things that never happens as they have 7 top horses of their own that they don't want stuck in either.

I want to want to go there without any niggles or worries but I don't think that is going to happen :( Back to the drawing board?
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Well I have one horse that wont stable at all - well she just about copes with 1/2 hour waiting for the farrier. One that tried to demolish her stable (literally kick it apart) after three days box rest even though she had a friend with her. One that puts up with it, but gets seriously grumpy and the fourth just box walks. So it really wouldn't work for my lot.

I suppose, because I have the horses that I have IYSWIM, turnout is number one on my list. For some reason I seem to get on with tightly wound horses... :o

If I had a horse that would cope for one winter, then yes I would consider it, but I would rather move after it had been built. ;)
 
I had my 2 year old on full livery and they never turned out in the winter at all. I let her run around in the outdoor school and I took her for walks every night.

Adlib hay will do a lot for keeping him happy inside.
 
Thanks for the advice so far guys, can anyone else tell me about their experiences of having a horse in over some of the Winter? Another yard I have spoken to also have limited turnout - it seems that any yard with facilities/services tends to keep horses in more than I would ideally like?
 
If they are building turnout pens, and you are happy that this will actually happen then I'd go for it. You can loose school, take the horse out in hand, put on the walker and obviously ride so the horse will be doing varied things even if he isn't going out. If the horse will be on part/full livery presumably the yard will be able to lunge/put horse on walker in the morning and then you can ride in the evenings to keep the horse exercised.
 
If your cob is anything like mine he will hate being stuck inside for 7 weeks in the winter. It happened to me at my last yard (and the reason we moved although everything else was perfect). It was OK for the other liveries as they didn't work, so could take their horses out to exercise during the day. I didn't get to the yard until it was dark, and so all my poor cob got was 40 mins or so in the outdoor school, with no lights, whilst i did his bed. The YO kept promising me that she would turn him out in the school during the day, but i don't think she ever did (no sand on his hooves or legs when I got there).

I never believe anything YO's promise until it is there - are you really sure it is worth the risk moving? It you can't cope without the winter turnout areas then don't move.

I agree that you will find the yards with schools, etc, think it is acceptable to keep horses in for long periods as they assume that the owners will be happy to ride every day in the school. But if you work this is not possible during daylight. If they have an indoor or floodlights then OK you could ride in the evening, but is there a booking system for the school, because otherwise you will find that everyone will turn up at the same time wanting to ride. Or, like a yard i was on, the YO will use the indoor school as turnout for her own horses so they could move around during the night. No one was able to use the indoor after 5pm (crazy woman!!).
 
When I moved my horse to better facilities that cost double what they had done, I rode a heap more. Still had to travel 40 mins each way to see horse so was no closer, but got up at 5 am to go ride because had an arena, etc.

So if you can afford it do it. You can always scale down if wasted on you.

The downside was no grass, although he had a big paddock, and h ended up trying to roll on the sand in the shelter, cast himself and was lame 12-18 months - and they did not tell me he had hurt himself till I got there, and then they said it must be a pre existing issue.
 
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If me i would wait until spring as to me horses in for seven weeks is very unfair..in spring hopefully it will be better and by next winter new pens will be ready
 
My boys winter in. We do have turnout paddocks, an indoor, an outdoor with lights and the walker is being finished on Wednesday :)

We do have limited winter turnout but I don't use it for mine.

With my job not having these facilities would mean I could only work the boy at weekends and that would break my heart. I ride 6/7 days and it is my release from the stress of work.

For me facilities are really important.
 
Turnout would be a huge deal for me. Mine are out 24/7 regardless of the weather with rugs and plenty of food, the closest they get to coming in is coming into the sand school over night, but if it is icy or snowy they stay out in the field full stop. Safer for them to already be out there than walking in or out.

I couldn't ever deal with them being in for that length of time unless on box rest for something.

Plus that sounds like a huuuuge amount of money, that's £100 more than I pay in rent on my house!!!
 
Its easy to forget during the summer how awful lack of winter TO can be.

I've had a couple of winters on yards where turnout was very limited over the winter and its something I'll never do again. Although the horses had turnout areas to stretch their legs while stables were mucked out, they tended to stand miserably at the gate waiting to be stuffed back in their stables. Sometimes a feisty pony would jump the gate and make a bid for freedom, but usually they submitted to mind numbing boredom.

There was an increase in horses becoming very spooky and sharp to ride so some owners didn't hack out or jump during no turnout periods of time.
Owners would queue to (and squabble) over booking the menages, others, unsuccessful in getting a slot, would try and walk in hand round and round the yard, in the dark and rain, just to keep the horses moving. Those were the good owners, the less committed owners were happy to leave their horses stabled with no reprieve, day after day.
Liveries started coming at all hours in the hope of using the school and even this was sometimes thwarted by others having the same idea. The atmosphere on the yard became depressing and bitchy.
Arthritic horses became stiff and thrush, COPD, and other ailments increased.

Basically, for many of us, it was stressful, miserable and demoralising. For the horses, it was worse.
If the horses had sufficient exercise facilities and the owners had the time to work them for several hours a day, it would be doable, otherwise it was a test of endurance rather than a pleasurable hobby.
Never again.
 
This is all very helpful and certainly helping me consider the options from both sides. For what it's worth the yard is a pro dressage rider's place and she takes up seven spaces - she only rides during the day in the week and competes away most weekends. I would only be one of three liveries using the facilities so booking the school etc won't be an issue at all. This doesn't mean that this makes the turnout situation ok. My boy is very chilled and loves his bed and that still still doesn't make the turn out ok. I would love to hear from anyone else with any advice and I know I have some real thinking to do. Dreamt of the place all last night - stressful!
 
I can't see the point of having a horse you wish to ride but can't, so I'd move.
If you had a non riding horse, I'd have different views.
 
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